Beet-harvester.



H. c. wuLFHooF;` BEET HARVESTER. APPLICATION man m4'.- s, usla.

Patented Apr. 29.11919.

4 SHEETS-SHE-ET l.`

'3.0. `wuLFHooPI vBEETv HARVESTER. vAPPLICATION FJLFD JAN. 5,1948.

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BEET HABVESTER. APPLICATION FILED IAN|5|1`915.

Patented Apr. 29,1919. y

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. operation of excrreetng the the mechanism wherein :timely ehren-gir che eme will be ewige e Sigmar ,gg-ree,I wlhfel'web` severing* oir wps from t eflodis thereof miy '19e-ef?.

A etili furter'qbect 'ef @he 11e tioiifiilhth f th 1mm mpmrmwmf which mi sie toippg aleng unix form lines -1 For a.: furtlrffdisclospre 'elf the' imitating, nimm s web@ tu gcijipfton ,end to the accompanying drawl/i Abs, Vfoifiring' a, `part ofthis Specificetioi, inl wjflch gimi'llal cfrairters'of' reference denote corresponding pants throughout the several Vfevqsfthereof, and:

l is a top lan View of `the` beet hervester consti-nete in accordance with the 'nciples of the invention.

Fig. 2" ia vertical, longitudinal, sectional v'ievyrteken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is sa traltisverse, sectional View taken clorrg the pien-e disclosed by 'the line 3-3' ofFig. 1. l

Figs-4 is aa similar 'View teken elongthe line 4-4 of" Fig. 1. v

5 iS adetalPl-ed Verticalsectonal View of the cam operatingmechanism for elfe/cl:-4 ing theinsertion offbeat-Sinto the topping Fig; 6! ie e detail top' plain View Vof thepifmtedpbat'e for wntrollmg the depth 02E of the; topping' nmeelie-1nism'.A Fig. i f is.- ai .fragmentary perspective View of the plow elemrieri't.A

Fig. 8f is afdeteehed perspective4 view of the beet' elements-*forming a. part cthetopping mechamicimiei.\`

@is su dcteil- View of the-resilient sprocket. wheels.

Refrerringlmore particularly to the drawing,- thc harvester rin'ins preferred form coriof a, rectangular frame 5t\,composedfofV diarml iron sections. r-fThe Emme is;

supported: Vcr traction means offrent or Steering whieels 61 and: reaigman or (irivinnige"Wheelsf1,` the latter inl this instance, be'' in g rotatably mounted upon.` a relatively stew tions; axle 8, carried by riagirl V'loem'i'nfgs'; 9 depen ring fromthefreme 5.. f

The front wheels 6 are-rotatably fsupportedupon e pivotedyoke I150,: iii-a manner' common te drawn wgrsklsulturaif vehicles; In# contrasti te beets' harvesters of the prior art, the' present iimveritionl has plow clementA B thcwositaiaited ejaceut to .the forward: endet 5,80 that beets her-vested' Vthe machine 'iv-ill be rst .subjected t0 the: preciese of' excavation or disslodgment lprior o'fhfving .the feat growth formed lthe1-Jewith semered from the body o said The element usually embraces-9; plrmlitr ef'pow beams; '1 1 which terminate ajttheir lewerends im shares 12', endconmeiste@ with the shares' is' la! substantially V-shaped, moldboard of common utility,

latter being provided with rearwardly cxtending fixed rods 12', which guide and peridly secured as at 13 to a crank shaft 14,"

the latter having its extremities pivotally mounted within slidin blocks 15, carried by guide members 16, w ich latter are firmly secured to the frame sections 5. In orderv to adjust the depth of cut of the plow element, the crank portion of the shaft 14 has suitably connected therewith a plurality of yoke shaped links 17, the upper extremities of the latter, in turn, being secured as at 18 to the crank extremity 19 of a hand lever 20. The lever is pivotally mounted asv at 21 upon a cross piece 22, extending transversely of the frame 5, and carried by said lever is the usual hand latch 22 and its cooperating segment 23. Thus it will be seen that by oscillating the lever, the shaft 14 will be correspondingly rocked about its pivotal center, thereby effecting a vertical adjustment of the plow element B, and the latter is retained in such adjusted position through the coperation of the members 20, 22 and 23. I

In operation, it is desirable that the plow element-be maintained in a normal or-substantially horizontal position, and in order. to assume such position irrespective ofthe positions the hand lever 20 may occupy,the block elements 15 are provided with vertically disposed threaded bores, which latter are situated tov receive vertically journaled feed screws 24.v Thus by rotating the latter,' the blocks' 15. may. be raised or lowered and thereby causev thev .long.itudinally extending portionsof the crank shaft to assume the desired horizontal positions. It will, therefore, beapparent that mechanism has been provided for reg# ula-ting theplowl elementso as to, controlthe depth of a furrow made thereby,or -to elevate the sameto an inactive position'when' it is notr in service. v

The rotation vof the feed screws 24,v is effected through the provision of ahorizontally extending transverse shaft 25, which is suitably mounted for rotation within xed bearings -26 mounted upon theforward end of the frame 5. The shaft 25in this instance carries a plurality of bevel gears 27, which are positionedso as to mesh' with similar gears 28, the latter being fixed to the upper extremities of the screws 24.` It will be seen that by rotating the shaft 25, through the medium of the hand wheelv29 provided for this purpose, the feed screws will be set into motion so as to effect the raisingl and lowering of the sliding blocks 15, W ereby a desired horizontal vadjustment of the plow element may `rbe readily obtained. v v

vLocated immediately lto the lrear of the plow element is a rotary beet puller or excavator C, which is adapted to remove beets from the soil :and to conduct the same toward a topping mechanism D. The puller includes a transverse shaft 30, which is jourvna'led for rotary movement in slotted bearings 31, rigidly depending fromithelframe 5, said `bearings permitting of limited vertical movement on the part of the shaft 30 in order that the depth of operation of the puller may be controlled. Secured to the outer extremities of the shaft 30 are a pair of sprocket wheels 31 over vwhich pass cooperatingfchains 32, which latter are also trained over similar sprockets 33 rigidly carried by a counter shaft 34, the latter being rotatably journaled within bearings 35 carried by the side members of the frame 5. The outer endsv ofthe shaft 34 are provided with .pinions 36 which normally mesh with larger gears 37, formed upon slldable clutch sleeves 38, said sleeves being carried by the main axle 8 and provided with clutch faces which are capable of engaging with similar faces found ,upon the hubs 39. of the rear traction wheels 7 'Ilh'us it willbc apparent that, when the sleeves 38 are in contact with the hi1bs39, therotary 'movement i' of the wheels 7 will impartxsimilar movement .to the gears 36 and ,37 and this movement will be.. inturn transmitted.; to the. shaft 30 through the chai-n and ,sprocket construction set forth. i v

In order todisconnect the sleeves 38 from the hubs 39, so as to govern the rotation of the shaft 30l .and other associated mechanismsai d sleevesareprovided with annular grooves `ignto which protrude pins or rollers carried by the arms .of pivoted bell crank levers 40,*which latter are carried by the vframe 5. Leading from the 4( )pposite arms of. the levers 40 are links 41, which have theirforward extremities securedl to crank elements 42, carried by transverse rock shaft 43. The .shaft 43 is actuated through the medium of a hand lever 44, carried by saidi shaft, which Alever is provided with the ordinary -hand operated locking latch 45, the latter engaging with the usuall form of toothed sector 46.- Thus by rocking the lever 144, the sleeves 38 may be reciprocated 'so as to'govern their rotary relation with respect tothe traction wheels 7, l-thereby controlling, at the -operators will, the rotation of the puller shaft 30.

Rotatable with the shaft 30 is the puller proper, `which consists preferably of a triarmed block 47, the -arms of said block being socketedat their outerends, in which sockets are pivotally mounted the inner extremities-'of -jaw members 48. The latter are usually arranged in pairs, andthe same are formed to diverge outwardly and terminate'in hooked extremities.. The mem.,

disk rotating shaft 74. Pinions 75 are mounted upon the outer ends of the shaft 74 which pinions are adapted to engage with the gears 37 carried by the clutch sleeves-38.

Thus it will be evident that when the -ma-f chine is in operation the shafts 69 are rotated by the rotary movement of the main traction wheels 7.

Rotatable with the shafts 69, and carried by each shaft are a plurality of vertically spaced sprocket wheels 76, over whichare trained upper and lower sets of endless link chains 77 and 78. The chains are also trained over forward and centrally disposed sets of sprocket wheels 79 and 80 respectively, which wheels are carried by vertically disposed shafts 81 and 82, the latter being journaled in 'slotted rbearings 83 and 84 carried by the frame 5. The upper and lower extremities of the shafts 81 and 82 are equipped with blocks 85, which blocks carry horizontally disposed rods 86, the outer extremities of' said rods being slidably mounted within lugs 87 protruding from the bearings 83l and 84. Surrounding the rods 86 and interposed between the blocks 85 and the stationary lugs 87 are coil springs 88, which springs normally serve to retain the shafts 81 and 82 at the inner extremities of the slots formed in the bearings 83 and 84, yet permit the sets of sprockets 79 and v8O to be moved outwardly in a resilient manner.

The chains 77 and 78 have certain links thereof formed with outwardly extending lugs 89, which lugs are adapted to enter sockets 90 provided inv enlarged rectangular bosses 91 integrally formed with beet gripping elements 92. The lugs 89 and the bosses 91 are provided with alining apertures for the reception of removable cotter pins'or the like 93, whereby the elements 92 may be firmly but removably carried by the chains 77 and 78. The elements 92 are so arranged upon the spaced chains 77 and 78 that the same will register in the manner shown in Fig. l, that is with the elements 92 of eac-h set of chains in directly opposed relation, so that a beet discharged from the apron 51 will be caught between a set of these elements 92 and conveyed through the topping mechanism.V Guide members 94 are carried by a cross piece 95, contiguous to the forward end of the topping mechanism and serve to guide the beets into engagement with the elements 92, It will be lnoted that the latter are substantially curved in cross section and taper upwardly,this design being given the elements so that the same will con- -form with'the approximate curvature of a sugar beet. vThe shafts 81 and 82 are of a slidable nature in' order that beets of varying proportions may be gripped in a securer manner by the elements 92 without unduly squeezing or damagingy the beets, and to thereby permit beets of all natural sizes kto be readily received and conveyed rearwardly of the harvester throughrthe mechanism described. l

In order to effect the topping lof the beets, there is provided. a forward set of cutting disks 96, the cutting edges of which meet substantially betweenland immediately beneath opposed chain carriedelements 92, so that the cutting disks will. be in position to 'engage with the tops of beets asthe latter are carried by said elements 92. The disks are carried by vvertically disposed shafts 97, which are suitably journaled for rotation. The lower ends of the'shafts 97 carry gears which .are adapted to mesh with similar gears 98 carried by Vthe horizontally disposed shaft 34, which isrotated'through the pinion and'gear construction 36 and 37 above described. It will be manifest that thebeets willv be caught in the y'topping mechanism by the elements 92 and'conveyed rearwardly of the machineso that theV tops of said beets will be severed by the rotary cutting disks 96, the latter in turn being driven by the main wheels 7 and subject to rotation at the vehicle operators will. The disks 96 cut the major portion of the beet foliage away, which foliage may if desired be discharged into aV suitable receptacle (not shown) or may drop to the'ground.

n order to remove the relatively hardened upper portion of the beet and to cut all beets passing through. the toppingmechanism to a uniform degree, there is provided a set of rear-cutting disks 100, whichare located preferably just to thev rear of the centrally disposed-sprockets'.' "These latter disks are carriedby vertical shafts, and are rotated by gears1101'carried by the shaft 74, said gears 101' meshing Vwith similar gears carried by the shafts employed for mounting the disks 100. In order to bring all 0f the beets into. engagementV withl the disks at a pre-determined level, there is provided an Vadjustable platform 102, which is pivotally mounted as at 103. A crank shaft 104 engages with the under side of the platform, and it will be seen that by rotatlng saidv crank shaft said platforminay raised or lowered. It will be seen that beets passing through the topping mechanism and after leaving'the cutting disks 96v will engage with said platform, thereby causing sald beets to assume vthe level of the rear end of said platfonn-befoI-'e engaging with the rear cutting diskslOO. l

-In` v iewl of theA fact that considerably greater pressure is required tohold the beets in position when the same are being cut by the rear disks 100, thecentral sprockets 80 are located nearer the center' 'of the machine than the coperating sprockets 76 and 79. This has the effect of drawing the beets into firmer engagement with the elements '92, whereby said beets may be securely retained others, present. ans for `digging the vlOfNtfSg,"

e earth therefrom, and for eiect pm of the plants. The yconveyor ployed by t e topping.;` mechanism vreadily ocomme'fletes` itself tov the inequalities in yiziew'ofy thelieets harvested,` coperati'ngQ iv means being t employed `rto insurethe cutting f V `of lsaid*beetsj"at "desired points; The 'machine may jbe sed lfor hmvessting vegetation than `beets,Without any clmng `move11r 'structionshowm andqchanges therelaim'sto adaV ttheseme to other at describe Thefharvesteris relatively "few, parts 'and is not? ut of order so as to require plein construction andgin ventirely under the control view of the results acf,

dfi

, huli *n m comprismg a 1' ment,

eww se l 'tendrazdial to `move over] said table so as 0'vl beets from ythe .1ette1", `means where arms Willfbe swung across saidtab said jew members arelyouti ofennge ent withv the littter,`said means comprsin relity of camelements tattable jaw vmembers;` and aff'p uralit pressedy fremesslituatedfto -e a cam elements to e'ecttlie oscillati farms.

y4. .In abeetphervesten'kbeetp .nism yconiprisiny i af rotary.'-hullnlforked'jiw111cml rspivotallyc tried y r hub, l resilient lmeans "tending to seidgiwy harvester isy comparatively i to build.'-

s esprit (11th@ "invention, what S rvestegbeet mecha`` rsin ev rotetablertraction driven vNoted E resilient jaw 'members' idzelemen and airrengedtoj exfro whereby during the einen said jew vmembers gri pingland removing gta le situated' to extend members when thefjlatter f ed" positions, 4in their; 'cyclel `rder 'to separate 'said rmemi Lt"thedeposit of beetskupon yand e plurality ofoscillatoi'y toy d to over` said table :separation vofthe lette soie y upon said tablglendf vence offbeet saidtaible.' i'

with a lrotary beetpl *tion driven]shaftu h in vunison.'Withjs jews carried bye-s d e tov pickupland receive of' a,u .table` vIneens #for engagement With Sai of th s beets" ther ver; and k111 said shaftto effect the'actuation of said arms.

V6. In a beet harvester, the combination with means yfor effecting the removal of beets from thesoil, said means comprising a. r0-

. tary member, resiliently separable jaws carried by said element andarranged to pick up and receive beets from the soil, of a table situated in the path of movement of said jaws, said table being adapted toy release beets from engagement with said jaws and to receive the discharged beets, and means operable in unison with said jaws to remove beets from said table.

7 In a beet harvester, a frame, a shaft rotatably carried by said frame, means for rotating said shaft, a bearing member rotatable in unison with said shaft, sets of pivotally mounted forked arms carried by said member, resilient means tending to maintain the arms of each set in cooperative relation, a table mounted to separate said arms at predetermined positions in their cycle of movement and to effect the removal Copies of this patent may be obtained for of beets therefrom, and means actuated from said shaft to discharge beets from engagement with said table.

8. lIn a beet harvester, a frame, a shaft rotatably carried by said frame, means for rotating said shaft, arbearing member rotatable-,in unison with said shaft, sets lof pivot- HENRY o, wULFHoor.`

Witnesses:

F. W. MOSER, W. S.YMcDowELL.

ve cent:V each, by addressing the fcomminioner of Patenti, Wallington, D. 0. 

